गुरुवार, 11 दिसंबर 2008

scrap yamuna expressway project

YAMUNA FOUNDATION FOR BLUE WATER
AGRA

To:
Honourable Prime Minister of India
New Delhi


Respected sir,

This is to bring to your kind notice that a project along the Yamuna river bank called Yamuna Expressway, to connect Greater Noida to Agra, has been cleared by the Uttar Pradesh government and awarded to Jaypee group. Cultivable land and the area in the flood plains of river Yamuna is being acquired to construct the super highway. The farmers are protesting and social activists have raised serious objections to the project which would only help escalate land prices at the cost of agricultural production.

Sir, we wish to also bring to your kind notice that two days ago the National Highway Authority of India, has been permitted by the transport ministry of your government to upgrade and six lane the existing Delhi-Agra highway at a cost of around Rs 1600 crores on BOT basis.

In view of this latest decision we see no merit in continuing with the Expressway project for which no feasibility study on the expected volume of traffic and the costs has been made. We feel this project must be scrapped and the river Yamuna saved alongwith farmers of the area who will lose valuable cultivable land to greedy colonisers. The Yamuna Expressway is wholly unnecessary and will only put pressure on agricultural land in addition to disturbing ecological balance.

We hope you would be kind enough to examine and review clearance to the Yamuna Expressway project.

Thank you very much


Yours sincerely


BRIJ KHANDELWAL
Yamuna Foundation for Blue Water
Braj Mandal Heritage Conservation Society
Goverdhan Hotel, Delhi Gate, Agra-2
Phone: 9997186708

email: agrabrij@gmail.co
www.agralive.in

शुक्रवार, 26 सितंबर 2008

LINKING PEOPLE AND RIVERS


KOSI SE NARMADA TAK SANGHARSH AUR NAVNNIRMAN

September 28th, 2008

World Rivers Day: Globally rivers, big and small, are facing State onslaught and corporate greed, and rivers and people of river valleys are having to confront the disastrous impacts of mega dams and embankments, climate change, pollution, and industrial development. Centralized and flawed river (mis)managemnt is at the heart of many of these issues. The World Rivers Day on the September 28th is an opportunity and occasion to mark the need for saving and salvaging our rivers by democratic and just planning and people's involvement. If big dams, embankments or gigantic river-linking is not the solution, why not go in for alternative decentralized harnessing of land, water, forests and human power in the valleys. We must ask for initiate reconstructive work.

Harsud Day: The Harsud Rally of September 28, 1989, a significant watershed, in the history of India's developmental struggles, brought together more than 50,000 people – adivasis, dalits, farmers, labourers, fishworkers of the Narmada valley and eminent progressive intelligentsia and social and political activists and from across the country against undemocratic and unjust development displacing millions, along with almost 250 organizations, that converged and lent strength to the famed slogan ' Vikas Chahiye – Vinash Nahi (We want development – Not destruction)

Niyogi Martydom Day: The 17th Shahadat Divas of Shankar Guha Niyogi, a very prominent trade union leader, environmentalist, anti-liquor activist and founder of the Chhattisgarh Mines Shramik Sangathan (CMSS) and Chhattisgarh Mukti Morcha (CMM) who, using the weapons of truth and mass-mobilization engaged in struggles and social constructive work. Murdered on the mid-night of September 28th for his unflinching activism, his killers, leading industrialists of Bhilai were, by a grand travesty of justice, acquitted by the Supreme Court! Remembering him, we salute and follow Niyogi's path.


NARMADA BACHAO ANDOLAN

Invites you to a

People's Political Platform

Challenges from Kosi, Ganga, Bhagirathi, Yamuna Narmada, Krishna, Godavari & other rivers & river valleys

THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE OF RIVERS AND RIVER VALLEYS IN INDIA
Role Of Political Parties and


People's Movements

Prominent leaders of the Congreess, NCP, B.J.P. , B.S.P., Bharatiya Janshakti, Samajvadi Party will address the gathering

Speakers from Rashtriya Swabhiman Andolan and People's Political Front and other people's movements would also speak on the occasion


Venue: Opp: Old Collector's Office Badwani (4 hours from Indore / Baroda / Dhulia / Khandwa by road)

Time: 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m, M.P.

On behalf of all adivasis, farmers, fishworkers, dalits, potters, workers, women, men and children in the hills of Maharashtra, Gujarat and plains of Nimad .....people affected by the Sardar Sarovar, Goi,, Jobat dams in the Narmada Valley

Mohan Patidar Kamla Yadav Madubhai

Champalal Awasya Yogini Khanolkar

Ashish Mandloi Medha Patkar

(9424855042) (9423965153)

Contact: (NBA-Badwani - 07290-222464)

रविवार, 8 जून 2008

भागीरथी गंगा जी के संरक्षित हितार्थ ''आमरण अनशन संकल्प'' के सन्दर्भ में

प्रिय......

भारतीय संस्कृति एवं चिन्तन में भागीरथी गंगा जी और और उनकी संसार में अद्वितीय पाप-विमोचनी, स्वास्थ्यवर्ध्दिनी पवित्रता में आस्था से आप भली-भांति परिचित हैं। पिछले कुछ र्वों में जल-विद्युत परियोजनाओं द्वारा अन्य नदियों की भांति ही, भागीरथी गंगा जी के प्रवाह की अविरलता को भंग कर, इस आस्था-स्रोत को छिन्न-भिन्न किया जा रहा है। अभी भी मनेरी से नीचे भागीरथी गंगा जी की धीरा लम्बी दूरी और लम्बे समय तक जल-विहीन रहती है। आगे चलकर तो शायद पूरी गंगा जी की यही नियित हो जाये। पर्यावरण विज्ञान का एक गम्भीर छात्र और एक आस्थावान हिन्दू होने के नाते यह विचार भी मेरे लिए असहनीय है। हम तो गंगा जी को माँ मानते हैं- क्या माँ की हत्या, उसका जल-विहीन, छिन्न-भिन्न किया जाना चुपचाप देखते रहें? मैं महीनों के आत्ममंथन के बाद इस निष्कर्ष पर पहुँचा हूँ कि कम से कम उद्गम-स्थल से उत्तरकाशी नगरी तक तो भागीरथी की धारा को आस्थावान हिन्दुओं और भारतीय संस्कृति के लिए अविरल, निर्बाध छोड़ दिया जाना चाहिए और मेरी आत्मा की आवाज है कि इस भाग के साथ किसी भी मानवीय छेड़छाड़ का मुझे यथाशक्ति विरोध करना चाहिए।
वर्तमान भारतीय सरकारों और समाज में भौतिक-आर्थिक विकास और बिजली उत्पादन पर इतना बल है, इतनी ललक है कि मुझ सरीखे क्षुद्र व्यक्ति के विरोद्द का अर्थ ही क्या है, नक्कारखाने में तूती की आवाज भी कौन सुनेगा ? पर हमारी संस्कृति में तो सदा से आत्म बल और तपोबल का बड़ा महत्व रहा है और इसके लिए तपना पड़ता है, बलि देनी पड़ती है। वह आस्था ही क्या जिसके लिए अन्य सभी कुछ प्राण का भी उत्सर्ग न किए जा सकें। मैं तो बचपन में स्कूल की दैनिक प्रार्थना में ''जिस देश-जाति में जन्म लिया, बलिदान उसी पर हो जाये'' और झण्डा-गान मैं ''देश धर्म पर बलि-बलि जायें'' गाते हुए पला-बढ़ा हूँ। क्या आज भारतीय संस्कृति, हिन्दू-आस्था मुझे बलि के लिए नहीं पुकार रही है ? सोच-विचार कर मैने उत्तरकाशी से ऊपर की भागीरथी गंगा की धारा के सा छेंड़छाड़ के विरोद्ध में '' आमरण अनशन '' करने का निश्चय किया है।
भगवान राम की तप:स्थली चित्रकूट धाम में उनके पावन जन्म दिन रामनवमी, 14 अप्रैल 2008 को मैं संकल्प करता हूँ कि कोई अनहोनी ही न घट जाये तो मैं उत्तरकाशी तक भागीरथी गंगा की धारा के अविरल-निर्बाध रखे जाने के हित में गंगा दशहरा 13 जून 2008 से '' आमरण अनशन '' करूंगा। प्रभु राम मुझे अपने संकल्प पर दृढ़ रहने की शक्ति दें।

आप मुझसे स्नेह रखते हैं- उसी स्नेह का वास्ता देकर प्रार्थना करता हूँ कि अपने संकल्प से डिगाने का प्रयास कृपया न करें। यदि मेरा यह प्रयास आपको नि:स्वार्थ, उचित और धर्मानुकूल लगे तो इसके उद्देश्यों की अन्तोगत्वा सफलता के लिए प्रभु से प्रार्थना करें।

मैं 15 मई 2008 से अद्दिकांय समय उत्तरकाशी में रहूँगा, उपयुक्त ठिकाने की खोज कर रहा हूँ। पता - M.C Mehta, Env. Foundation ;k Peoples’ Science Institute (Tel : 0135-2763649) से ज्ञात हो सकेगा।
हार्दिक स्नेह और युभकामनाओं सहित

आपका अपना आत्मीय
(गुरूदास अग्रवाल)

शुक्रवार, 16 मई 2008

water Tax Info

बुधवार, 14 मई 2008

Ailing & Dead Rivers

Convention on Ailing & Dead Rivers
On July 8th, 2007, People's News Network & Water Community India organized a Convention on Ailing and Dead Rivers in New Delhi.
Attendees: Dr Vandana Shiva, Mrs. Minakshi Arora, Dr. B.L. Sharma, Ramesh Sharma, G.N. Kathpaliya, Shekh Hussain, Rajeev dhyani, Ratan Mudgal, Diwan Singh, Anand Misra, Sudha Mohan, Kumar Amitabh, Anita Sampath, Hariyom Tyagi, Dharmpal Tyagi, Shaoor A. khan, Sashi Kant Pandey, Suhas Borker and many activists struggling to save rivers joined the convention.

Opening Note by Dr. Vandana Shiva (Jal Swaraj)
From sixties to nineties trend was for large dams but now large dams are having adverse impact. Tehri dam has failed to meet its expected energy potential. According to World Bank we don't know how to manage water. The World Bank has recently initiated water sector reforms, aimed primarily at privatization of water resources and commercialization of water management. River linking, a 200 billion dollar project has started with Ken-Betwa link. Argument for river linking was to take water from flooded area to drought prone area. But the main contention is to take water from rural area to urban area for industrialization. SEZ luxury of housing is also putting great stress on water resources. Chemical use in agriculture has also increased the usage of water. In Punjab farmers are growing vegetables for export which are water intensive putting more stress on our water resources. It is anticipated that after 20 to 30 yrs their will be no water in Ganga- Yamuna. We can only conserve Our river basins by mobilizing local Support. We should also bring out an anthology Qn rivers region wise with status, campaigns, pictorial representation & pollution statistics.

River Varuna Report by Vyomesh Chitravansh (Hamari Varuna Abhiyan)
The twin rivers Varuna and Asi which give the city its name are polluted beyond compare. Almost 30 sewerage outlets let out its untreated waste into the river.". River Assi has disappeared totally now it remains only in drain form. "Out of the 30 sewerage outlets in the city, only five electricity-run sewerage pumps were set up along the ghats to intercept and divert the sewerage water. Each pump has a bypass opening into the Ganga. When electricity fails, the bypass starts discharging water into the Ganga. Campaign is against encroachment on both sides of river. Upcoming five star hotels & DLF project is also coming on Varuna river. We are reviving Varuna, a diwali festival on river Varuna which is in records till 1907 to build momentum for cause of river Varuna.

Yamuna River Report by Manoj Mishra (Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaan)
Yamuna has been the life-line of Delhi. Tragically, over the years this is exactly what has happened and now the state of affairs is such that it is perhaps the most polluted river and, according to experts, "the most threatened riverine system in the whole world". Unfortunately, currently there exists no legal protection available for our rivers as an ecosystem, which includes the river bed and the flood plain. As a result, our rivers have been taken for granted and their river beds and flood plains have been misused in the name of 'development' as if these are waste lands rather than precious parts of an ecosystem with vital and irreplaceable role for re-charge of ground water, floods moderation and as the habitats of varied forms of flora and fauna. The river bed is known to be most prone to damage from an earthquake. The Commonwealth Games construction on its floodplains has only aggravated this situation to great extent.

Ganga Basin Report by Sureshwar Sinha (Pani Morcha)
Ganga basin is at the apex of tectonic or seismic zone. Delhi is part of that apex zone. We are likely to face a major flood combined with earthquake. There are many adverse impacts of dams. Our policy for fifty years has destroyed both Our rivers & ground water. Government has made a mess of water management, now its time people should take control of it. SEZ should be only after Panchayat clearance. We have to fight for our water sovereignty.

Dravyavati River Report by Upendra Shankar (Jaldhara Abhiyan, Jaipur)
River is physically present but in Revenue records of government there is no mention of it. It now remains as Manikshah nala. Till 1921, drinking water used to come from this river. The river flows through 32 villages. Main problems are colonies based on river bed & industries. By forestation on river bed we are trying to revive dying river.

Mithi River Report by Shekh Hussain ( Sadbhavna Sangh, Mumbai)
Mumbai’s l3km long Mithi River is stuffed with effluents and garbage. No one has spared the Mithi river. Not the slums, the encroaching factories, the BMC and definitely not Mumbai's airport. The slums that mushroomed up around the mouth of the river on the Mahim side didn't appear out of a magician's hat. Someone allowed them to come up just a few years ago, like they did up the river, on both sides, as they still do across the rest of the city. Dlf's upcoming project will put further stress on already vulnerable mithi river.

Rajiv Dhyani
This is not only an environmental issue but a cultural issue too. No campaign in India can be successful until & unless it is emotionally attached. We should keep an emotional appeal in our campaign to attract people who don't follow us on technical issues.

Punjab Report by Amar Singh Sidhu
In 1992 the area where there was 10 feet water of SatIuj River today has colonies on it. Issue of climate change is going to affect us further.

Chambal River Report By Siraj Qureshi
According to Mr Siraj problem of floods & water shortage in Chambal can be both controlled by bringing water from Chambal to Tigra, a run of 45 km. Some institutions are running a project to revive Swarn Rekha drain as it is full of pollution, roads & complex encroachments.


Main Outcomes are Programs

1. To bring out an anthology On rivers region wise with status, campaigns, mapping, pictorial representation & pollution statistics.To support the organisations working for the purpose.
2. To institute the committees-Nadi Rakshak, Jal Rakshak.
3. Research on rivers and find out the rivers converted into drains. To make strategy to solve the problems of rivers.
4. Three groups were formed for the endeavour-
(i) Cultural,
(ii) Research And Media and Publication Group.
(iii) To organise a forum under the banner of “ Nadiyon Ki Pukar Abhiyan- Voice of Rivers Campaign”.

5. A course on “ Water and Climate Change” 17-21 March 2008, Beej Vidyapeeth, Dehradoon.

For more information, please contact water.community@gmail.com, kesaraba@gmail.com, minakshi075@gmail.com
Convention organized by Shiraj Kesar.
Report Prepared by -Minakshi Arora (PNN)&( water community), Amit (Navdanya)

Voice for Yamuna River Clean-up Campaign

Delhi Volunteers to Pick up Trash March 30

The Yamuna Foundation for Blue Water, under the umbrella of the Rivers of the World (ROW) Foundation (www.rowfoundation.org ) has beguns a Campaign to cleanup the Yamuna River on March 30th ,in Delhi in association with Techknow Engineering LLC (Environmental Service India) ,Delhi(www.techknow-eng.com) and Water Community India, Delhi(www.watecommunity.in).
This project in India is in partnership and motivated by a similar project in Washington, DC, USA to Clean-up the Potomac River by the Alice Ferguson Foundation (www.fergusonfoundation.org ). Volunteers met at Kotla Nala(near Kotla Rly colony) on the day and removed trash between 8.30am to12.30pm. Coated gloves had been given to all Volunteers to protect hands and Blue plastic bags had been used to collect recyclable items and orange bags for trash to be disposed. The recyclables had been transported to the municipal recycling center; arrangements were made for the non-recyclables to be picked up by the city garbage collection system.
Subijoy Dutta, Executive Director of the Yamuna Foundation for Blue Water announced, “We start now to clean up the Yamuna with our hands. We will continue cleanups until river becomes, once again, clean and blue.”
Dehli Coordinator, Mr. Suresh Nair and D.K. Mital, Mrs. Minakshi Arora and Mr. Siraj Kesar from Water Community India for the Yamuna River Cleanup are committed to the Yamuna Foundations’ motto “…To turn the Yamuna Blue and agrees that it will take a major effort on the part of all sectors of the Dehli community to turn this issue around.
In a recent press conference Subijoy Dutta said “We must stop trashing the river we love that is vital to health and livability of everyone in this region. We must make this commitment NOW!”
Rivers of the World (ROW) Foundation
Water Community India, Delhi
Yamuna Foundation, Delhi

बुधवार, 7 मई 2008

जल बचाओ अभियान का शुभारंभ हुआ


महू, इंदौर। सामाजिक संस्था प्रतिज्ञा एवं विक्रान्त इंस्टीटयूट ऑफ टेक्नालॉजी एंड मैनेजमेंट इंदौर के सहयोग से तहसील मुख्यालय के जल बचाओ अभियान के एक लाख से अधिक विभिन्न नारों के स्टीकरों और पम्पलेटों का विमोचन एसडीएम राहुल जैन के आतिथ्य में संपन्न हुआ। इस कार्यक्रम की अध्यक्षता राधेध्याम बियांणी ने की, विशेष अतिथि के रूप में अशोक खण्डेलवाल एरिया मैनेजर टायसन कम्पनी थे। जन जागृति के उत्कर्ष स्लोगनों वाले स्टीकरों एवं पम्पलेटों के विमोचन पर राहुल जैन एसडीएम महू ने कहा कि जल और जीवन का सही उपयोग करना चाहिए, जो लोग पानी का अपव्यय करते हैं यदि वह ही पानी बचा लिया जाए तो हर परिवार की प्यास बुझ सकती है। पानी के मूल्य को समझना होगा और पानी का संचय करना होगा तभी आगे जीवन खुशहाल होगा। अपने वक्तव्य में श्री बियाणी, श्री खण्डेलवाल ने भी पानी बचाने के उपाय बताए। इन स्टीकरों को ग्रामीण क्षेत्रों में कैलाश अग्रिहोत्री, संचालक गौशाला कजलीगढ़ एवं सरपंच इंदरसिंह बुंदेला वितरण करेंगे, जबकि शहरी क्षेत्रों में प्रतिज्ञा संस्था एवं यादव समाज के युवा साथी जलबचाओ अभियान के लिए जन जागृति फैलाएंगे।
अतिथियों का स्वागत फारूख सर, पंकज यादव, राजकिशोर यादव, शरद मोहन सोन, आकाश यादव, छोटू सिंह यादव, हरनाम सिंह यादव, जय प्रकाश नीम, मो. अफरोज, प्रेमचंद टॉक सहित कई सदस्यों ने किया।
कार्यक्रम का संचालन संस्था अध्यक्ष जगमोहन सोन ने किया एवं पंकज भृगु, टेक्नीशियन विक्रान्त इंस्टीटयूट ऑफ टेक्नॉलाजी एंड मैनेजमेंट इंदौर ने आभार प्रकट किया।

नारों के प्रारूप
1. जल बचाओ, जीवन बचाओ, वृक्ष लगाओ, हरियाली लाओ!
2. जल बचाओ, जीवन बचाओ!
3. सोचो जब जल न रहेगा तो क्या होगा? जीवन जीने योग्य न रहेगा क्योंकि जल ही जीवन है।
4. पानी से फसल, फसल से व्यापार, व्यापार से कमाई,
तो क्यों न करे, हम पानी की बुआई

आइए हम सब संकल्प लें
अबकी बार बारिश में करेंगे जल का पुनर्भरण वरना तय है जल बिना जीवन का मरण।
सिर्फ अपनी नहीं सबकी प्यास की चिंता करें। जल का दुरुपयोग न करें क्योंकि आपके द्वारा बचाया गया पानी किसी दूसरे को जीवन दे सकता है।

सामाजिक संस्था प्रतिज्ञा महू, जिला इन्दौर (मध्य प्रदेश)
अध्यक्ष, जगमोहन सोन मोबाइल : 9300947302, 9300968999
ई-मेल pratigya_mhow@yahoo.com